


Snow & Scarves

by itsamagicalplace



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Philinda 24 Kisses, Post Academy, Pre Bahrain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 10:06:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2808530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsamagicalplace/pseuds/itsamagicalplace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On an assignment to London in the middle of winter, Phil & Melinda spend Christmas Eve together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snow & Scarves

The snow on the ground crunched like broken glass as Phil walked down the pavement, the icy cold air nipping at his face, and he found himself wishing, for what felt like the the fifth time that day, that there was some kind of hat for your nose.

It was freezing out, definitely in the region of ten below or more, and the snow that had fallen the previous week had almost solidified into a crystallized mass along the streets, glittering until the streetlights that illuminated the city at night.

He and Melinda were in England - London to be precise - having flown out on a mission five days previously. They were due to return on the twenty-seventh, but since their assigned tasks of a) gathering intelligence on a target in the city, and b) not dying, were already complete, they had some time to themselves for the next few days.

It was late night Christmas Eve, and the two of them had spent the past few hours doing the typical touristy things they wouldn’t normally have had the chance to do so.

Maria, who had been with them on the mission, had opted to return to the hotel earlier, after they had all eaten dinner in a local restaurant, having visited London many a time before, and not feeling like freezing to death in the streets when she could instead take a hot bath and then video-call her family back home. After all, it was Christmas.

So Phil and Melinda had been left alone. Despite it being night, and dark, and very cold, Phil had wanted to visit the palace, and even though the late hour called, he had been so excited to see it lit up completely. He insisted upon taking photographs in front of the gates, and despite Melinda’s attempts to escape being pictured, he managed to get a few of her smiling (or scowling, there was a selection of both).

There was also one he particularly liked, that she hadn’t known he was taking, where she simply was looking into the distance and tucking hair behind her ear.

As he and Melinda wandered through St James’ park some time later, they each sipped warm English tea out of polystyrene cups, made with creamy milk and too much sugar, which they had purchased from a night vendor nearby. She had pulled a face at the sweetness, much preferring her usual selection of green and herbal teas, but she had drank it none-the-less, and the warmth of the liquid definitely helped with the chill that was dancing through their bones.

The whole scene was beautiful, and they walked in silence, the only sound the crunching of their boots on the snow, and the distant noise of the city drifting through the park. The sky above was a deep grey, almost looking brown, and individual flakes of snow were drifting through the air around them, settling upon the footpath ahead and blending in with the carpet of ice already encompassing the park.

At some point he took her free hand as they walked, and she didn’t pull it back, their gloved fingers interlaced, and thumbs brushing against each other.

They disposed of the cups once the drinks were finished with.

It was only a while later, on their way out of the park, and heading back to the hotel to join Maria, when Phil glanced over at Melinda, that he noticed her shivering slightly, the occasional gust of cool air whipping up her hair and sending shudders down her spine. She was wearing a coat, hat, and gloves, yes, but she still looked cold, and Phil didn’t even need to think twice before stopping.

She turned to look at him with a confused expression, about to ask him why he had stopped, when Phil reached up to his neck, and unwound the deep blue scarf he was wearing in one fluid motion. It was a thick knitted woolen one which his mother had made for him several years ago; he still liked to wear it each winter, feeling the comfort it brought and the protection from the cold it provided.

Despite her protests about him needing it, he turned back towards her, smiling and shaking his head, insisting she was more important. Melinda just rolled her eyes and reached out for the scarf; knowing how stubborn they both were, she was aware he wouldn’t back down over it until it was around her neck.

Ignoring her outstretched hands however, Phil stepped closer towards her, and, taking hold of both ends, Phil lifted them up, moving them gently over her head, and wrapping the scarf around her, slowly and carefully. Their eyes never left the others gaze.

His fingers brushed the sides of her cheek as he moved, and he definitely noticed the small blush that bloomed on her cheeks at his touch, which he was sure did not come from the cold.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, although it came out more as a whisper in the dark of night.

Rather than letting go once he had tied it however, Phil kept hold of the ends of the scarf, running the thick, soft wool through his fingertips as he watched her. A snowflake landed on her eyelashes, and Phil simply stared as it melted into a droplet of clear liquid, before seeping away into oblivion.

She didn’t speak; Melinda only looked at him, her gaze jumping from his cobalt eyes, down to his pink lips, and back. She probably didn’t even know she was doing it, or maybe she did, but he tracked her every motion with a flicker of his eyes.

They didn’t need words. Both knew exactly what they wanted, and they had been dancing around it for far too long.

The distant chimes of Big Ben began to sound, indicating it was midnight, and hence officially December the 25th, and all across the city fireworks began to explode.

He pulled gently on either end of the scarf, just strongly enough to get her to step forwards, but not enough that it would feel like he was forcing her to move. She took the hint with a small smile, and as she ended up almost close enough to touch, Phil leaned down, watching as her eyelids fluttered closed only milliseconds before their lips touched, and kissed her.

It was warm, and soft, despite the icy snow that was still falling all around them, and after only a few seconds, he pulled back, ensuring he didn’t ruin their friendship if he had read her signals wrong. He instead, placed a gentle kiss upon her nose, feeling the cold of her skin beneath his lips as he let them linger for a moment more, before he took a step backwards.

His heart nearly jumped out of his chest when she reached up, slipping her hands under his jacket, and wrapped them around his waist, pulling him closer towards her again with a gentle humming sound. Phil couldn’t help the smile that formed on his lips as she leaned in to kiss him once more.

Clearly this was not one sided, and that revelation filled him with both fear and joy.

They reluctantly broke away from each other, once the final chime had sounded.

“Happy Christmas Melinda” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her, and leaning their foreheads together with a sigh.

She snuggled into his embrace, resting her head on his chest, and inhaling the all too familiar scent of him that she knew she could never get enough of.

“Happy Christmas Phil.”


End file.
